Practice Advice & Frequently Asked Questions

Find the answer to your question below or contact the Practice Advisors for free and anonymous advice.

Anyone can contact the College for confidential practice advice. The College has a team of physiotherapists ready to answer your call or email and you can ask about anything related to physiotherapy.

Not sure what rule applies? Ask the Practice Advisor. Looking for something on the website and can't find it? Dealing with a tough ethical dilemma and need to talk it through? Call 647-484-8800 or 1-800-583-5885 (extension 241) or email advice@collegept.org.

Practice Advice Question

Question:

Answer:

The patient must understand and then consent to the limits and the purpose of sending and receiving information from you.

As with any communication you use with patients, you need to make sure it is appropriate, private and relevant information is captured in the patient record.

When providing clinical advice or treatment related information by email, consider whether it is appropriate for the patient to receive this information electronically and include a copy of the email or summary of the information in the patient record. You also need to make sure that patient’s personal health information is kept private and secure. It should not be shared with or accessed by others without patient consent (or other legal authority).

There are several considerations unique to using email. An email can be inadvertently sent to the wrong person, is often accessed on portable devices vulnerable to theft and loss, can be forwarded or changed without the knowledge or permission of the original sender, and be vulnerable to interception and hacking.